WTC Team of the tournament 2021 - name your picks

[MenInG]

Some candidates

TOP RUN-SCORER

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne is the top run-scorer, with 1675 across his 13 matches in the tournament. Quite the feat for a player who was on the fringes of Australia’s national set-up before the tournament started. No wonder he now sits third on the ICC Test batting rankings.

The next highest run-scorer in the campaign is England skipper Joe Root, who made 1660 across 20 matches. He made serious runs at the backend of the tournament, making 684 runs across three Tests.

Rounding out the podium is Steve Smith, who made 1341 runs across 13 matches. The Australian maestro led the way in the early stages of the tournament, making 774 across four Ashes encounters in 2019.


MOST CENTURIES

Labuschagne also stands as the tournament’s top century-maker, making five in the campaign alongside nine further 50+ scores. The Australian’s first ton came against Pakistan in November 2019 and he went on to score three in a row and four in total for the summer. The fifth ton came in this year’s Gabba thriller against India.

Labuschagne is trailed by five players – Babar Azam, Dimuth Karunaratne, Rohit Sharma, Smith and Ben Stokes – on four centuries, with Sharma still able to catch him with a successful match in the World Test Championship final.

There have been 92 centuries so far in the tournament.


MOST WICKETS

Australia quick Pat Cummins sits on top of the WTC wicket-takers list going into the final with 70 across 14 matches at just 21.02 runs apiece. Sitting atop the ICC Test bowling rankings, Cummins’ wickets came throughout the tournament, taking 29 in the Ashes to begin his campaign and 21 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to round it out.

Cummins is trailed by England’ Stuart Broad, who took 69 at 20.08 across 17 Tests, with 10 of those wickets coming in a Test against the West Indies last July.

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin sits third with 67 at 20.88 and will be hoping to leapfrog Cummins in the decider.


MOST FIVE-FORS

Four bowlers sit atop the list for the most five-wicket hauls, with three in contention to take an outright lead during the final at Southampton.

India’s Ashwin and Axar Patel, New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson and Australia’s Nathan Lyon have all taken four five-wicket hauls in the tournament.

Ashwin and Lyon’s set of five-fors came across 13 and 14 Tests respectively, while Jamieson’s were spread across just six matches and Patel’s just three.


HIGHEST SCORE

Going into the final, and the cycle’s last bilateral series between the West Indies and South Africa, the WTC has seen one triple-century. That was scored by Australia’s David Warner, who made an unbeaten 335 against Pakistan in a day-nighter at Adelaide Oval in 2019.

The next highest score of the cycle belongs to England’s Zak Crawley, who scored 267 against Pakistan at Southampton last August.

India skipper Virat Kohli made the third highest score, notching an unbeaten 254 against South Africa at Pune in October 2019.

In total there were 14 200+ scores in the tournament.


BEST FIGURES

Sri Lanka’s Lasith Embuldeniya boasts the best figures of the tournament so far. The left-arm spinner took one five-for in the campaign but made it count, taking 7/137 against England earlier this year.

India’s Ashwin is the only other bowler to have taken seven in an innings so far, claiming 7/145 in his first match of the tournament against South Africa in 2019.

Teammate Jasprit Bumrah rounds out the top three, courtesy of his 6/27 against the West Indies in 2019.


BEST BATTING AVERAGE

Among batters who have played at least five innings, Australia’s Labuschagne has the best average. He averaged 72.82 across his 23 innings. Without the qualifier of five innings, he would still be second, sandwiched between New Zealand’s Darryl Mitchell (76.50 across three innings) and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (68, one innings).

Among batters who have played at least five innings, Pakistan’s Babar Azam had the next best average (66.57 across 17 innings), with India’s Washington Sundar (66.25 across six innings) a close third.


BEST BOWLING AVERAGE

Indian newcomer Patel boasts the best average of any bowler used in at least five innings in the WTC, with his 27 wickets coming at 10.59 across six innings.

New Zealand’s Jamieson sits second in this department, with his 36 poles coming at 13.27 across 12 innings. India’s Ishant Sharma (55 at 17.36 across 20 innings) sits third.


MOST DISMISSALS COMPLETED

Australia captain Tim Paine completed the most dismissals of any keeper in the tournament, with his 65 unlikely to be bettered in the remaining time in the cycle.

England’s Jos Buttler sits a distant second with 50, with South Africa’s Quinton de Kock – currently playing a WTC series against the West Indies – boasting 46 currently.

 

[Ab Fan]

WTC 2019-21 Team of tournament:-

Rohit Sharma
Kane Williamson/ Ajinkya Rahane (c)
Marnus Labuschagne
Joe Root
Steve Smith
Ben Stokes/Ravindra Jadeja
Rishabh Pant (wkt)
Ravi Ashwin
Pat Cummins
Tim Southee
Stuart Broad

 

[AMSS]

Warner
Rohit
Marnus
Smith
Stokes
Pant
Jadeja
Ashwin
Cummins
Broad
Southee

Objectively the best WTC XI accounting for roles and stats.

 

[Mesozoic]

Rohit
Labuschagne
Williamson
Smith
Root
Stokes
Pant
Ashwin
Cummins
Southee
Jamieson

 

[dravidthewall]

Rohit
Root
Kane (c)
Smith
Labu
Pant(wk)
Holder
Ashwin
Cummins
Bolt
Rabada

 

[Last Monetarist]

My XI:

Rohit
Warner
Labuschagne
Smith
Babar
Stokes
Pant
Jamieson
Ashwin
Cummins
Ishant

 

[street cricketer]

Rohit
Labuschagne
Root (c)
Smith
Stokes
Pant (wk)
Jadeja
Ashwin
Cummins
Ishant
Broad

Gill and Conway were very impressive but not enough sample size. Marnus is a left field pick as an opener, but I just had to include Root because of his wonderful performance with the bat in the subcontinent away from home. Smith and Stokes for their Ashes heroics, Pant for his Australian series heroics. Jadeja has been the MVP the past few years and Ashwin gets in after his stellar performance in Australia. No need explain Cummins' selection. I really wanted to include Jamieson but didn't have place for him. Southee was very unlucky but I rate Broad slightly more and Ishant would be a workhorse in the subcontinent, which I don't think Southee can be.

The team's got 4 top seamers and 2 world class spinners (plus the golden arm of Marnus) and can basically win anywhere they play.

 

[MenInG]

Just Babar Azam and Shaheen for me in any such XI.

 

[AMSS]

Just Babar Azam and Shaheen for me in any such XI.

Babar has a plausible case but Shaheen has been average.

 

[MenInG]

Some more hints for you guys when making your teams:

==


Virat Kohli – India – Batter – 14 matches – 877 runs at 43.85

The captain oversaw seven straight victories to start India’s WTC campaign, as his team clean swept the West Indies, South Africa and Bangladesh. He produced one of the finest performances of the WTC in India’s victory over the Proteas at Pune, scoring an unbeaten 254 off 336 deliveries. Three Tests later he went big again, scoring a quickfire 136 in India’s maiden day-night Test against Bangladesh. That proved to be his final century of the tournament, but he was still a crucial performer throughout, scoring a further five half-centuries. That included a key 62 in the second Test against England at Chennai, where he put on a masterclass against the turning ball.

Tom Latham – New Zealand – Batter – 11 Tests – 680 runs at 40

The Black Caps’ Mr Reliable at the top of the order, Latham was at the heart of New Zealand’s first win of the WTC campaign. The opener scored a brilliant 154 against Sri Lanka in Colombo to help New Zealand to a series-levelling victory, which proved crucial to making June’s final. That was his lone ton of the campaign, but he was pivotal in their important run of five straight victories at home, scoring four half-centuries in that time.


Mushfiqur Rahim – Bangladesh – Batter – 6 Tests – 453 runs at 45.3

Relieved of wicket-keeping duties, Mushfiqur has shone as a specialist batter for Bangladesh, passing 50 in four of his 11 WTC innings. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the Test series against India in 2019, with only Mayank Agarwal scoring more than his 181 at 45.25. He notably made half-centuries at Indore and Kolkata. He was similarly impressive against Sri Lanka this year, making 148 at 74.

Kyle Mayers – West Indies – All-rounder – 5 Tests – 475 runs at 52.77 – 4 wickets at 28.75

A late entrant into the WTC fold, Mayers made every post a winner in 2021. The batting all-rounder well and truly made his presence felt on debut against Bangladesh, scoring an unbeaten 210 to inspire a chase of 395 – no mean feat at all on a day five pitch in the subcontinent. It was his lone ton of the WTC but he would go on to make two half-centuries. His seam bowling came in handy for the West Indies as he picked up four wickets in the series against Sri Lanka.

Jos Buttler – England – Wicket-keeper – 18 Tests – 963 runs at 33.2 – 49 catches and one stumping

Good enough to be picked on his batting alone, Buttler kept in 13 of his 18 WTC matches, completing 50 dismissals in that time. Only Australia’s Tim Paine completed more over the course of the tournament. With the bat, Buttler’s best performance came against Pakistan at Southampton, where he hit a measured 152 and enjoyed a 359-run fifth-wicket stand that got England out of trouble. That was his lone ton of the campaign, but he managed four further 50+ scores.


Mohammed Rizwan – Pakistan – Wicket-keeper – 12 Tests – 741 runs at 46.31 – 31 catches and one stumping

Now entrenched in Pakistan’s team as their No.1 glovesman across all formats, Rizwan emerged as one of Test cricket’s finest wicket-keeper batter over the course of the WTC. More than reliable behind the stumps, Rizwan was seriously impressive in front of them too. The keeper passed 50 in seven of his 18 innings, notching a century in a Pakistan victory over South Africa. He was the second-highest run-scorer among keepers in the tournament with comfortably the best average.

Kyle Jamieson – New Zealand – Bowler – 6 Tests – 36 wickets at 13.27

Jamieson entered the WTC tournament late but has been irrepressible since making his Test debut in February against India. He took 4/39 that match and followed it with 5/45 in the second Test in an ominous sign for India ahead of the WTC final. Across his six matches to date, he had already taken four five-wicket hauls, with two coming in his most recent Test against Pakistan. His average of 13.27 is the best of any bowler with more than 30 wickets in the tournament, with Ishant Sharma’s 17.36 a distant second.

Stuart Broad – England – Bowler – 17 Tests – 69 wickets at 20.08

The veteran seamer was the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker, finishing just one victim behind Pat Cummins. Closing in on his 35th birthday, Broad still looks to have plenty of years left in the tank as a Test cricketer. He was England’s highest wicket-taker at the Ashes (23 at 26.65), and went on to dominate the West Indies (16 at 10.93), South Africa (14 at 19.42) and Pakistan (13 at 16.46). His best performance came in the series decider against the West Indies, taking 6/31 in the first innings and 4/36 in the second. He also became just the fourth fast bowler to join the 500 Test wicket club.


Mitchell Starc – Australia – Bowler – 10 Tests – 44 wickets at 24.54

A key part of one of Australia’s greatest ever attacks, Starc was at his best in the summer of 2019-20, tormenting Pakistan and New Zealand’s batters. The left-arm tyro took 14 wickets at 17.00 against Pakistan, following a four-for at the Gabba with a six-wicket haul at Adelaide Oval. He backed up that campaign with 15 at 17.86 against New Zealand, taking nine wickets in the Perth Test. While he was not as effective the following summer, he was crucial in Australia’s series-opening win over India, taking 4/53.

Suranga Lakmal – Sri Lanka – Bowler – 7 Tests – 20 wickets at 25.55

The veteran seamer has been Sri Lanka’s best bowler in Test cricket for the past two years and shone in their first match of the tournament, taking 4/29 in a six-wicket win against New Zealand. It was form that would return to him in the Caribbean earlier this year, as he took out Player of the Series honours in the West Indies-Sri Lanka series after claiming 11 wickets at 21.45 across the two Tests.

 

[MenInG]

Babar has a plausible case but Shaheen has been average.

Rizwan also - see above.

 

[AMSS]

Rizwan also - see above.

Yes, Rizwan too would have a plausible case. Certainly more than Shaheen who averaged 33 in a period when so many quicks kept their number in low 20s.

 

[krikit]

Don't know how visible this is but I think everyone can clearly see the no. of India's in the column.

For an All conditions bowling unit, the 5 players I would choose are Jadeja, Ashwin (better performance in WTC and more batting ability than Lyon), Cummins, Ishant and Bumrah. In subcontinental conditions, Shami and Umesh can replace Ishant and Bumrah.

 

[mastimasti]

The team may pick itself here -

1. Warner Aus
2. Sharma Ind
3. Labuschange Aus
4. Root Eng c
5. Azam Pak
6. Stokes Eng
7. Rizwan Pak wk
8. Ashwin Ind
9. Southee NZ
10. Starc Aus
11. Cummins Aus

 

[Saurav]

Why are people picking Warner?

My team:

Rohit
Elgar
Labushagne
Smith
Stokes
Pant
Jadeja
Ashwin
Cummins
Southee
Broad

 

[Last Monetarist]

Why are people picking Warner?

The range of high quality international test openers is limited, Warner scored 3 centuries during the last cycle including a triple century. The margins are thin, so one can conceivably pick any of Elgar, Warner, Latham and Karunaratne to partner Sharma.

 

[JattMaula]

Why are people picking Warner?

My team:

Rohit
Elgar
Labushagne
Smith
Stokes
Pant
Jadeja
Ashwin
Cummins
Southee
Broad

Ishant?

 

[AMSS]

Why are people picking Warner?

Because he outperformed Elgar in the preceding WTC cycle and if not for Covid cancellations, would have carried AUS to final.

 

[Saurav]

Because he outperformed Elgar in the preceding WTC cycle and if not for Covid cancellations, would have carried AUS to final.

No he performed in two home series v Pak and NZ and failed massively in away Ashes and recent India series

Elgar performed in India and didn't fail as massively anywhere

 

[AMSS]

No he performed in two home series v Pak and NZ and failed massively in away Ashes and recent India series

Elgar performed in India and didn't fail as massively anywhere

And? Warner scored more, scored quicker, and helped his team win two series. Something Elgar could not. Not really interested in boring home/awa/sena/mena nonsense.

 

[MenInG]

And some more food for thought:

==

Steve Smith – Australia – Batter – 13 Tests – 1341 runs at 63.85

Smith continued his march to greatness in the WTC, beginning the tournament with an astoundingly impressive Ashes series (774 runs at 110.57). He started that series with twin centuries as Australia stormed England’s fortress at Edgbaston, backed it up with a 92 in a draw at Lord’s, and then returned from concussions with a double-century at Old Trafford. That proved his last century for 15 months but in that time he still scored four half-centuries. The century ‘drought’ ended at the start of this year as he made 131 against India in Sydney, giving him the second most tons of any player in the WTC.


Mayank Agarwal – India – Batter – 12 Tests – 857 runs at 42.85

India’s first choice opener for much of the WTC, Agarwal was at his best during the country’s 3-0 sweep of South Africa. The opener made 340 runs at an average of 85 that series, scoring a double-century in the first Test and 108 in the second. He carried on the run-glut against Bangladesh, averaging 128.50 across the two Tests, making 243 at Indore.


Dimuth Karunaratne – Sri Lanka – Batter – 10 Tests – 999 runs at 55.5

In a lean tournament for the Sri Lankans, Karunaratne shone and was one of the best performing openers in the World Test Championship. Among openers in the WTC, only Rohit Sharma scored more runs but the Indian star played one more match than Karunaratne’s 10. The Sri Lanka captain passed 50 in eight of his 18 innings, scoring a century in his first match of the tournament against New Zealand. He went on to score another ton in Johannesburg before dominating Bangladesh in the WTC’s final series, following up a double-century with scores of 118 and 66 in a series sealing win in Pallekele.


Azhar Ali – Pakistan – Batter – 12 Tests – 748 runs at 39.36

The rock at first drop for Pakistan, Azhar was the team’s second highest run-scorer through the WTC. After a somewhat lean start to the campaign against Australia, his form reignited against Sri Lanka, scoring an important second innings century at Karachi. That was followed by an unbeaten 141 in tough conditions in Southampton in an innings where he was one of only three batters to pass 20. Alongside the two tons, he made two half-centuries, including a 93 on green seamer in Christchurch.


Henry Nicholls – New Zealand – Batter – 10 Tests – 585 runs at 41.78

An ever reliable performer for the Black Caps, Nicholls was a fixture in their line-up for all 10 of their WTC matches on their way to the final. His best performances came in the team’s final push to make the decider, averaging 81 through New Zealand’s last two bilateral series against Pakistan and the West Indies. He stepped up in the absence of Kane Williamson in the second Test against the West Indies, scoring 174, and rounded out his WTC campaign with 157 against Pakistan at Christchurch.


Mominul Haque – Bangladesh – Batter – 7 Tests – 534 runs at 41.07

The Bangladesh skipper was his nation’s highest run-scorer in the tournament. Mominul’s best performances came in 2021 as he notched two centuries across four Tests. The left-hander made an impressive 115 in Bangladesh’s second innings of the opening Test against the West Indies, before making 127 against Sri Lanka in a high-scoring draw.


Ben Stokes – England – All-rounder – 17 Tests – 1334 runs at 46 – 34 wickets at 26.26

It has been a golden two years for Stokes, whose game has reached new levels with both bat and ball. The all-rounder was the WTC’s fourth highest run-scorer, scoring four centuries and six fifties across his 32 innings, while still taking the 16th most wickets. He was particularly destructive against the West Indies, averaging 90.75 with the bat and 16.33 with the ball, but his most memorable performances came in the Ashes. Having fired the Australians a warning with an unbeaten 115 in the draw at Lord’s, Stokes produced one of modern cricket’s greatest innings, scoring an unbeaten 135 to drag England to victory at Headingley.


Tim Paine – Australia – Wicket-keeper – 14 Tests – 550 runs at 28.94 – 63 catches and 2 stumpings

The Australia captain completed comfortably the most dismissals of any keeper in the WTC, claiming 15 more than the next best. Exceptional behind the stumps, Paine’s 2.32 dismissals per innings were bettered only by South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (2.44) among keepers who played more than one match. A reliable performer with the bat, Paine scored four half-centuries in the WTC. The most notable of those was his unbeaten 73 at Adelaide Oval, dragging Australia back into the game against India.


Kemar Roach – West Indies – Bowler – 10 Tests – 32 wickets at 29.96

The leader of the West Indies attack, Roach was the Caribbean outfit’s top wicket-taker in the WTC. The quick started his campaign in style taking 4/66 against India at North Sound and was equally impressive against England, taking 4/72 at Old Trafford. The veteran finished his WTC campaign with an exclamation mark, taking nine wickets across two Tests against Sri Lanka.


Anrich Nortje – South Africa – Bowler – 11 Tests – 46 wickets at 27.06

The latest fast bowler off the South African production line, Nortje had a somewhat lean start to his Test cricket career but has come leaps and bounds since claiming his first five-wicket haul against England at Johannesburg. He had averaged 36.27 up until that match and has averaged 26.72 since. Alongside the 5/110 he took against England; Nortje also took 6/56 against Sri Lanka and 5/56 against Pakistan.

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Sorry for posting this late:

1. Rohit Sharma (IND)
2. Dimuth Karunaratne (SRL)
3. Marnus Labushagne (AUS)
4. Kane Williamson (c) (NZ)
5. Ben Stokes (ENG)
6. Mohammad Rizwan (wk) (PAK)
7. Ravindra Jadeja (IND)
8. Ravichandran Ashwin (IND)
9. Pat Cummins (AUS)
10. Tim Southee (NZ)
11. Ishant Sharma (IND)

Player of the tournament: Pat Cummins or Ravichandran Ashwin

Even though some players I chose most would not agree with, at least I chose a proper team of the tournament, what I mean is why are people putting the likes of Williamson, smith, root, labushagne in opener when they never opened or at least arent an opener? Even putting those players at number 5 shouldn't happen. Yes I understand its because all those players have been world class but end of the day they are number 3 and 4 batsmen, not opners or number 5, so in the team there is only one number 3 and one number 4 batsman. ICC should also stop doing this whenever they pick their team of the tournaments.

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Has ICC anounced their own official team of the tournament?